Professors Meyer, Carrell Receive Teaching Excellence Award

Butler Community College recognized outstanding faculty achievements during its annual Teaching Excellence Recognition Dinner, honoring full-time and adjunct instructors for excellence, innovation and impact in the classroom.  

This year’s Full-Time Teaching Excellence Award was presented to Jeff Meyer, a biology instructor retiring at the end of the academic year after 17 years at Butler. Students described Meyer as supportive, engaging and deeply committed to student success through review sessions, individualized help and real-world examples in the classroom.

“It means a lot to receive this award, especially when students had a hand in voting,” Meyer said. “They are the ones we are all here for and to be told they appreciate my efforts in the classroom is high praise indeed.”

The Adjunct Teaching Excellence Award was presented to David Carrell, who has taught at Butler for approximately 12 years following a 36-year career in Kansas public schools. Students praised Carrell for making math approachable and helping learners understand the “why” behind each concept while building confidence in the classroom.

“It is an honor,” Carrell said. “It is nice to know that my students think that highly of me. Math is not most students’ first love. I hope this means that I am explaining math concepts in terms that the students feel comfortable with.”

More than 100 faculty members, family members and college leaders attended the celebration. Butler Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs Marc Malone was joined by several deans in attendance in recognizing more than 40 faculty members nominated by students and peers for excellence in teaching.

The Teaching Excellence Awards are presented by the League for Innovation in the Community College, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to professional development and student success in community colleges. The League’s Excellence Award recognizes community college faculty across the nation who have made a difference in the lives of students by exemplifying exceptional teaching and leadership.

Meyer and Carrell each received a medallion, a certificate, and a $500 honorarium.